Bowling ball retarder with selfadjusting damping means



27, 1958 R. M. CONKLIN ETAL 3,398,952

BOWLING BALL RETARDER WITH SELF-ADJUSTING DAMPING MEANS Filed Feb. 2, 1965 III/I l1] IA 1 1/11 United States Patent BOWLING BALL RETARDER WITH SELF- ADJUSTING DAMPING MEANS Robert M. Conklin and Robert Torresen, Muskegon,

Mich., assignors to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 429,786

4 Claims. (Cl. 273--47) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ball retarder having a ball-receiving cradle and a fluid mechanism associated with the cradle whereby both heavy and lightweight bowling balls' can enter the cradle at different speeds and all be caused to leave the cradle at the same exit velocity because of the selective control of primary and secondary orifices in the fluid system.

This invention relates to a ball retarder or a safety ball stop for bowling balls, more specifically, it is an improvement in a ball retarder having a rockable cradle having means such that when the ball enters the cradle the ball will be retarded to a velocity safe to discharge, and the cradle Will swing to a position to gently release the ball into the storage section of the ball return rack, the cradle then being automatically returned into position to receive another ball. This improvement provides a feature whereby bowling balls of different weights are released from the cradle into the storage section at approximately equal velocity, and in minimum time.

In a bowling ball retarder, such as shown in the U.S. Patent 2,566,109, a ball of normal size and weight, namely, a sixteen pound ball, was retarded in the ball retarder and left said ball retarder at a considerably lesser velocity than its entering velocity. However, a relatively light ball could not be successfully retarded with such an arrangement, since due to its lesser energy, its velocity was reduced at a faster rate, thereby increasing the time required to clear the retarder and free it for the next ball. This invention, while embodying many of the components of the US. Patent 2,566,109, provides means for retarding balls of a variety of weights with the same exit velocity, and in minimum time consistent with safe operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a ball retarder for bowling balls having means for establishing substantially equal exit velocity for balls of varying weights which enter at varying velocities. v

Another object of this invention is to provide a ball retarder having a cradle and novel controlling cylinder structure for receiving the initial impact of a bowling ball and then permitting the ball to move into the storage section, said cylinder being responsive to the weight and entering velocity of the ball, so that balls of different weights and velocities entering the cradle will be retarded and will leave the cradle at approximately the same velocity.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the ball retarding end of a ball return rack in a bowling alley having a ball retarder embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale of a ball retarder embodying this invention taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the ball retarder embodying this invention taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the cylinder Patented Aug. 27, 1968 on an enlarged scale taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the cylinder showing the effect of an impact of a ball.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawing and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the form shown in the drawing, the invention comprises a retarder frame 10 of generally rectangular shape. This frame comprises side plates 11 and 12, each of which at its upper end is formed with laterally extending right angled flanges 13 secured by bolts, screws, rivets, or the like, 14, to the undersurface of the spaced apart side members 15 and 16 of the rear end portion of the ball return track 17.

A short distance in front of the place where the ball retarder is mounted, the ball return rack is formed with the usual upwardly inclined portion 18 which reduces the momentum of the ball rolling along the ball return rack. As soon as the ball has moved upwardly to the top of the incline 18 it will have sufficient momentum left to roll into the ball retarder of the present invention and be retarded therein and passed therethrough to the storage section 19 where a number of the balls may be stored until picked up for use by the bowlers.

Each of the side plates 11 and 12 of the ball retarder frame 10, at its upper edge, extend upwardly at 20 to receive a fulcrum pin 21 on which a cradle 22 is swingably mounted. The cradle 22 extends a somewhat greater distance rearwardly of the pin 21 than it does forwardly thereof. As viewed in FIG. 3, the cradle has side plates 24 and 25 defining an upstanding end portion 23 on which a roller 26 is rotatably journalled, the roller being preferably made of rubber to resiliently receive the impact of the ball entering the cradle.

At the moment of impact the ball is revolving due to its rolling motion, and the roller 26, being free to rotate about its shaft 27, allows the ball to revolve without tending to climb up over the roller 26 and out of the cradle. If desired, a nonrevolving stop may be provided in lieu of the roller 26, 'in which case the surface of such stop would be of a material offering less friction so as to allow the surface of the ball to slide or slip with relation thereto. The cradle 22 extends forwardly from its fulcrum pin 21 and has side plates 24 and 25 providing theend portion 28. Mounted between the side plates 24 and 25 is a pin 29 having a roller 30, preferably formed of rubber or other resilient material, mounted thereon.

A forwardly inclined metal plate or strap 31 is attached to frame 10 by welding or other conventional means, and is positioned to form a stop for the forward roller 30 when the cradle is in its ball receiving position as shown in FIG. 3.

When the cradle is in the ball receiving position the roller 30 is below the portion of the ball return track 17 traversed by the lowest surface of the ball to permit the ball to enter the cradle and strike the roller 26 at the rear upper end of the cradle. As will be understood, the roller 26 at this time is standing a substantial distance above the ball return rack, and in fact is somewhat above the horizontal plane passing through the center of the ball when contacting the roller 26.

Fixed to the rear curved end wall 23 of the cradle is a leather pad 32 to receive the slight impact from a ball in a storage section, should the same roll forwardly under other ball from said section. ..As will be noted in FIG. 3, this pad 32, which may be of leather or any other suitable cushioning material is positioned a substantial distance above the ball return rack when the cradle is in ball receiving position. v j

The means for absorbing the shock of the ball when it strikes the rear roller 26 and then slowly lowering the rear endofthe cradle to permit the ballto roll into the storage section and to thereafter'return the cradle to its initial position, will now be described. This means comprises generally va hydraulic cylinder .33 which has fixed in its lower end a fulcrum block 34, fulcrumed about a pin 35, which pin in turn is mounted at. its ends in the lower forward corners of the side walls 11 and 12 of the stop frame 10. Any suitable mounting may be employed as desired, it only being necessary that the hydraulic cylinder 33 rotate a small amount upon the pin 35.

Slidably mounted within cylinder 33 is a piston 36 having a hollow piston rod 37 which at its upper end is pivotally connected between the side plates 24 and 25 of the cradle 22. The upper end of the piston rod 37 has a threaded plug 38 and a collar 38A affixed thereto and in which the pivot pins 39 are mounted and connected to the side plates 24 and 25 to provide a pivotal movement with relation to the cradle 22, so that the piston rod 37 and the piston 36 may move inwardly and outwardly with relation to the cylinder 33 as the cylinder swings about its fulcrum pin 35.

The piston rod 37 is slidably mounted through a central opening in the guide disc 40 threadably secured in the cylinder 33 by threads 41. The guide disc 40, forms a closure head for the upper end of the cylinder. The lower portion of the piston rod 37 has piston 36 slidably mounted thereon. The piston rod 37 has a primary orifice 42 and an auxiliary orifice 43 spaced apart along the length thereof and a spring sleeve 44 and a control spring 45 positioned between the flange of said spring sleeve and the upper face of the piston 36. The spring sleeve 44 is prevented from moving upwardly on the piston rod 37 by a C-washer 47 locked onto the rod 37. The lower face of the piston 36 engages a compression spring 46 positioned between said piston and the fulcrum block 34 of the cylinder 33.

In the operation of this device, the momentum of the ball B entering the cradle 22 is for the most part reduced through the operation of the cylinder 33 and its dashpot action. When the ball enters the cradle the impact of the ball directed against the cradle extends to the piston 36 and urges the piston and piston rod 37 downwardly. This results in an increase in pressure of fluid at the lower end of the cylinder with the result that fluid flows through the interior of the piston rod past the piston to the upper side of the cylinder by passage through the primary or high pressure orifice 42. The primary orifice 42 is always effective in transfer of fluid from one side of the piston to the other. When a ball enters the cradle at normal entrance velocity, the force exerted on the piston is suflicient to overcome spring 45 and cause relative motion between piston 36 and rod 37, thereby closing orifice 43, as shown in FIG. 5, and providing increased resistance to further passage of the ball. This causes a reduction in velocity of the ball. When the velocity reaches that value which will result :in safe discharge of the ball onto the ball rack, the corresponding force is no longer able to overcome spring 45, and orifice 43 reopens, thereby reducing the retarding force to allow the ball to continue through the retarder in minimum time consistent with safe operation. Time is important because in normal bowling, often balls are returned with little spacing and the retarder should be quickly released so it can retard the next ball. If variations in ball weights exist, the time that orifice 43 stays closed will vary, since a light ball for example will slow down faster than a heavy ball when the retarding force is equal for both. Because of this, variations in ball weights have .little. effect--on exit-velocity, and whatever variations do exist are the result of what happens after orifice 43 opens, for example a light ball has somewhat more distance to cover at the reduced velocity than a heavy ball until it clears the retarder and, therefore, will be, discharged somewhats'lower. i

The result in eitheicaseis that ,a ball reg'ardlessof its weight, and regardless of variations infentrance velocity within usual limits, will exit the cradle at the same reduced velocity. After a ball has traveledthrough, the cradle is returned-to its ball receiving position by the compression spring 46 at the bottom of the cylinder acting through the intermediate connection to the cradle.

Should 'a-second ball follow the first ball too closely, it will contact the roller 30 and be prevented from striking the first ,ball within the cradle, which could otherwise cause injury to the bowlers fingers while handling balls in the storage section. This structure, just described, prevents such injury. When the cradle is in its ball receiving position, as shown in FIG. 3, any ball in the storage section that may be pushed rearwardly by the bowler While hunting for his own particular ball, would contact the cushion 32 on the rear face of the cradle and be there cushioned and prevented from entering the cradle and causing complications and possible injury by such entry.

We claim: 7

1. A ball retarder for bowling balls, comprising a ball return track, a stop frame adjacent said return track, a cradle for receiving balls swingably mounted on said frame, said cradle being operatively connected to a device for receiving and absorbing the major portion of the impact of a bowling ball as it enters said cradle and for returning said cradle to the ball receiving position, the device having a dashpot comprising, a movably mounted hydraulic cylinder, a hollow piston rod pivotally connected to said cradle and extending into said cylinder, said hollow rod having a primary orifice and an auxiliary orifice spaced apart along the length of the rod, a spring sleevea'nd a control spring positioned at the lower end ofsa'id' rod, a piston member slidably mounted on said rod below the spring sleeve, the upper face of said piston member engaging said control spring, the lower face of said member engaging a compression spring extending between said member and an end of said cylinder, said piston member being normallyurged bysaid control spring to a'position to open both orifices and movable relative to said auxiliary orifice to control the opening thereof responsive' tothe entering momentum of each ball into said cradle to normally move to substantially block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively longtime when a relatively heavy ball enters said cradle and to block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively shorter time when a ball of relatively light weight enters said cradle, to provide substantially equal exit Velocity for all balls entering said cradle.

2. A ball retarder for bowling balls wherein the device for receiving and absorbing the major portion of the impact ofa'bowli'ng' ball has a dashpot comprising, a hydraulic'cylinder having a fulcrum block in its lower end, a

disc attached to its upper end, a hollow piston rod extending through said disc into said cylinder, said hollow rod having a primary orifice and an auxiliary orifice spaced apart along the length of the rod, a spring sleeve and a control spring positioned at the lower end of said rod, a piston member slidably mounted on said rod below the spring sleeve, the upper face of said piston member engaging said control spring, the lower face of said piston member engaging a compression spring extending between said piston member and said fulcrum block, said piston memberbeing normally urged by said'control spring to a 'position'to open =both orifices and movable relative to said auxiliary orifice to control the opening thereof and responsive to the entering momentum of each ball into said ball retarder to normally move to substantially block said auxiliary orifice fora relatively long time when a ball of relatively heavy weight enters said ball retarder,

and to block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively shorter time when a ball of relatively light weight enters said ball retarder to provide substantially equal exit velocity for all balls entering said ball retarder.

3. A ball retarder for bowling balls, comprising a movable cradle for receiving a ball, said cradle being operatively connected to a device for receiving and absorbing the major portion of the impact of a bowling ball as it enters said cradle and for returning said cradle to a ball receiving position, the device having a fluid cylinder, a hollow rod in said cylinder, said hollow rod having a primary orifice and an auxiliary orifice spaced apart along the length of the rod, a spring sleeve and a control spring positioner at the lower end of said rod, a piston member slidably mounted on said rod below the spring sleeve, the upper face of said piston member engaging said control spring, the lower face of said member engaging a compression spring extending between said member and an end of said cylinder, said piston member being normally urged by said control spring to a position to open both orifices and movable relative to said auxiliary orifice to control the opening thereof responsive to the entering momentum of each ball into said crarle to normally move to substantially block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively long time when a relatively heavy ball enters said cradle and to block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively shorter time when a ball of relatively light weight enters said cradle, to provide substantially equal exit velocity for all balls entering said cradle.

4. A ball retarder for bowling balls, comprising a movable cradle for receiving a ball, said cradle being operatively connected to a device for receiving and absorbing the major portion of the impact of a bowling ball as it enters said cradle and for returning said cradle to a ball receiving position, the device having a fluid cylinder, a hollow rod in said cylinder, said hollow rod having a primary orifice and an auxiliary orifice spaced apart along the length of the rod, a piston member slidably mounted on said rod at the lower end thereof, means urging said piston member to a normal position to open 'both orifices and movable relative to said auxiliary orifice to control the opening thereof, movement of a ball into said cradle causing movement of the rod while movement of the piston member is resisted by fluid in the cylinder to substantially block said auxiliary orifice and have flow across the piston member only through the primary orifice for a relatively long time when a relatively heavy ball enters said cradle and to block said auxiliary orifice for a relatively shorter time when a ball of relatively light weight enters said cradle, to provide substantially equal exit velocity for all balls entering said cradle, said urging means functioning to return the piston member to said normal position when the force exerted by a ball on the cradle is a certain amount regardless of ball weight.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,062 7/1946 Sheldon 267-1 X 2,566,109 8/ 1951 Anderson 27347 2,857,162 10/1958 Zuercher 27347 3,022,061 2/1962 Takagi 267-8 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

